President-elect Donald Trump’s team has signed an agreement with the White House unlocking key transition briefings and activities after a lengthy delay. The delay was due in part to concerns over a mandatory ethics agreement. Incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles announced that President-elect Trump has executed a Memorandum of Understanding with President Joe Biden’s White House, marking the next phase of the administration’s transition.
This agreement allows intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including deploying landing teams to every department and agency for the orderly transition of power. The White House agreement, originally due on October 1, serves as the gateway for access to agencies and information. It could pave the way for Trump’s team to receive security clearances necessary to access classified information, although the specifics of information sharing with the Biden administration are yet to be clarified.
The Trump transition team emphasized that existing security and information protections are in place, eliminating the need for additional government oversight. They also stated that taxpayer funding will not be used for transition-related costs. The team will not utilize government buildings or technology provided by the General Services Administration (GSA) and will operate as a self-sufficient organization. Their ethics plan, meeting the requirements for personnel to seamlessly transition into the Trump Administration, will be made available on the GSA’s website.
With the agreement now in effect, members of the Biden administration can begin preparing their incoming counterparts for a smooth handoff on January 20.
